Trace-carrier



(NoModeL) P. MQELPRESH. TRACE GARRIBR.

No. 563,873. Patented July 14, 1896.

MM 1 fl [61262 UNITED STATES PATENT EEicE.

FRANKLIN P. MCELFRESII, OF SHELBY COUNTY, IOIVA.

TRACE-CARRIER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 563,873, dated July 14, 1896.

Application filed April 9, 1896. $erial No. 686,841. (No model.)

To LLZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANKLIN P. MOEL FRESH, a citizen of the United States of Amer ica, residin gin. the county of Shelby and State of Iowa, (my post-o fiice address at present being Kimballton, Audubon county, Iowa,) have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trace- Carriers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawin gs, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved trace-carrier of such construction that when the ends of the traces or other straps of the harness are caused to engage therewith they may be readily detached by simply pulling or drawing upon the same.

The invention consists in the construction and combination of the parts, as will be here inafter fully set forth and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a plan View of a trace-carrier constructed in accordance with my invention, showing the usual harness-straps connected thereto. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view, and Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the trace-carrier.

A designates a plate or frame which is provided at its edges with loops a a and a a,

the back-strap of the harness being connected to the loops 0. a, while the straps that lead to the breeching are connected to the loops a a, substantially as shown. The plate A is provided at each end with a recess 1), so formed as to leave centrally an upwardly-projecting lug B, the sides of which are inclined, and upon these lugs bear the free ends of a flat spring 0, said spring being centrally attached to the part of the plate A between the re cesses I) b by means of a loop or staple a The ends of the flat spring 0 are preferably turned upward, as shown, and in order that said spring may be better attached to the plate A the central portion thereof is contracted, as will more fully appear by reference to the drawings.

The upper side of the plate A has bosses (Z d formed thereon, which provide guides for the ends of adjoining straps of the harness, so that when they are placed under the ends of the spring said bosses will assist in holding them in connection with the t1&(3=(3t11l61.

In practice the ends of the traces, or cookeyes usually attached thereto, can be passed under the free ends of the spring 0, so that the cockeyes will engage the lugs B and be held in such engagement by spring-pressure to prevent the traces dragging upon the ground. hen the ends of the traces and breeching-straps are in such engagement or connected to the trace-carrier, as hereinbefore described, in detaching them it is only necessary to exert a sufficient pull to overcome the tension of the spring, as the inclined ends of the lugs B will allow the parts to freely slide out. This is a particularly desirable feature, as there is no positive engagement of the straps or traces with the carrier, and the accidental engagement of said straps or traces with a fixed object will not cause a breakage of the carrier, but simply disconnect the straps or traces therefrom. It will also be noted that the end of the hitching-strap can be held by causing its engagement with the trace-carrier.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination in a trace-carrier, of a plate or frame having recesses forming lugs 13 with inclined sides, and a spring centrally attached to the plate so that the free ends of said spring will bear upon the lugs, substantially as shown and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a trace-carrier, the combination of a plate or frame having recesses Z) formed to provide lugs B located centrally within said recesses, a flat spring 0 attached to the plate or frame between said recesses, and projecting bosses d on the upper side of the plate, substantially as shown and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination with a trace-carrier constructed substantially as shown and provided at each end with a lug having inclined sides, of a flat spring centrally attached to the frame of the trace-carrier, said spring being centrally contracted and provided with upturned ends, substantially as shown.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANKLIN P. MoELFRESl-I.

IVitnesses:

Jnssn B. WHITNEY, C. H. WHITNEY. 

